Bordering machine



Oct. 28, 1969 A. BOCCA ET AL 3,475,256

BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet L fi -J Oct. 28, 1969 BQCCA ET AL 3,475,256

BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 28, 1969 BOCCA ET AL 3,475,256

BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 28, 1969 A. BOCCA ETAL 3,475,256

BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 28, 1969 A. BOCCA ETAI- 3,475,256

BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct. 28, 1969 A. BOCCA ET AL 3,475,256

BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Oct. 28, 1969 BOCCA ET AL 3,475,256

BORDERING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet s Oct. 28, 1969 Filed Aug. 24. 1966 A. BOCCA ET BORDERING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 United States Patent M US. Cl. 156480 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A machine for applying a tape of flexible material onto the edge of a sole of footwear comprises a fork having spaced pivotal arms, the fork being longitudinally reciprocated while its arms are moved transversely towards and away from each other so as to fold the tape above and below the edge of the sole in a plane perpendicular to the tape, the tape as folded then being intermittently pressed by a first member which causes a forward movement of the tape and of the sole while a second member intermittently clamps the sole when the latter is not engaged by the first member. Adhesive material is introduced between the tape and the surfaces of the edge of the sole before the tape is pressed against the sole.

The invention relates to a machine for attaching to the border of elements in the form of sheets or slabs, either of flat or curved surface and of whatever shape, a tape of flexible material, by gluing the latter onto the said border and folding over one part of it above and one part of it below the element in question. Such machine is in particular destined for the application onto the edge of shoe soles of a tape having determined practical and aesthetic characteristics. The operation performed by the machine will hereinafter be referred to briefly as bordering.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a machine such as will perform the said bordering in a wholly automatic manner, without the need for any manual intervention in the gluing and in the fixing into place of the tape on the edge of the element being operated upon.

The machine according to the invention essentially comprises the following operating members: a tape-guide; a fork performing a longitudinal reciprocating motion and a transversal motion of its arms toward and away from each other with the same rhythm as that of the said reciprocating motion, which fork folds-over the said tape above and below the element to be bordered, the latter being placed near the center line of the tape in a plane perpendicular to it; a first member which intermittently presses the tape folded by the said fork around the edge of said element and moves to cause a forward movement of the tape of the said element; a second member which intermittently clamps said element when the latter is not engaged by said first member; and a device for introducing an adhesive material between the tape and the surfaces of the edge of said element to be bordered, before the tape is pressed onto said element.

All the aforesaid members are, in a preferred embodiment, driven by eccentrics mounted on one and the same driving shaft in a respective position such as will ensure the synchronization of the movements of all the various members.

The machine makes possible the bordering of comparatively thin elements of any shape whatever at high speed, and it ensures good adhesion to the surfaces of the said elements of the tape, which is applied in a uniform manner.

3,475,256 Patented Oct. 28, 1969 To better clarify the advantages and the characteristics of the bordering machine according to the present invention, there are hereafter described two embodiments schematically represented in the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the forward part of the machine with the operating tool in view;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 to 6 are succesive detailed views of the single operating tools and of the relative driving means taken along the lines IlI-III, IVIV, VV and VI-VI of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a lateral view of the operating tools seen from the opposite part of FIG 1;

FIG. 8 is a partial representation of the operating tools and a slab element, in the case in point a sole, during processing, partially in section according to the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 shows a variant of the upper part of the machine in a view analogous to that of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 10 is a view in the direction of arrow A of the members shown in FIG. 9.

The machine, of which the figures show only the forward part with the operating tools and the relative driving means, comprises a frame whose parts 2 and 3 bear a cam shaft 1. Such shaft is driven by a motor which is not represented in the drawings. The operating tools of the machine substantially comprises a tape-guide 4; a clamping device comprising an upper foot 5 borne, by means of a rocker arm 5', which is attached to the frame, with which there cooperates a movable lower foot 6; a pressing fork with two arms 7 and 7'; and a movable hammer 8 which works in collaboration with an anvil 9 which is also movable. For the purpose of more clearly illustrating the means that produces the movements of the said operating tools, reference will hereafter be made to FIG- URES 3 to 6, in which the said operation tools are given individual representation, with their relative driving means.

As appears in FIGS. 1 and 3, the lower foot 6 is moved by an eccentric 10 of the shaft 1, which acts upon a roller 11 borne through a bearing by a lever 12 hinged at one end by means of a pivot 13 to a support 14 fixed on the frame of the machine. At the other end of the lever 12 there is hinged, by means of a pivot 15, a rod 16 to which is secured in an adjustable manner, by means of a clamp 17, a tail 19. This tail supports the lower foot 6. Both the rod 16 and the tail 18 slide in the rectilinear guides of a body 19 secured to the frame of the machine. The roller 11 is kept in contact with the eccentric 10 by the action of a spring 20 running between a point 21 of the rod 16 and a point 22 of the frame.

In its uppermost position, the lower foot 6 comes close to the upper foot 5 which is borne elastically and in adjustable manner by an arm 5' hinged to the machine frame by means of a pivot 5".

The foot 5 is kept by a spring in a lowermost position with respect to the arm 5' and can be raised against the elastic reaction of said spring, the said lowermost position being adjustable by means of an adjusting screw (see FIG. 1). The entire foot-bearing arm 5 can be oscillated around the pivot 5", for example by means of a pedal drive (not illustrated), in order to raise the upper foot 5 from the lower foot 6 of the clamping member.

FIGURES l and 5 illustrate the mounting and the driving of the hammer 8. In a front vertical plate 23 of the machine frame there is a horizontal dovetail guide 24 guiding, for horizontal movement, a slide formed by two parts 25 and 25 joined by a plate 26 (see also FIG. 2) by means of bolts 27 screwed into holes 27' of the parts 25 and 25'.

The two parts 25 and 25' delimit a further dovetailed guide for a vertically moving plate 28 in which there is a hole for a rotating circular eccentric 29 mounted on the shaft 1. The rotation of the eccentric 29 in the said hole of the plate 28 causes the horizontal movement of the slide 25-25 with respect to the machine frame, and the vertical movement of the plate 28 with respect to the slide 2525'. As appears in the representation in FIGS. 1 and 4, in the plate 26 which connects the two parts 25 and 25' there is a seat in which a stem 30 slides, resting at one end on an eccentric 31 of the shaft 1, through the intermediary of a small wheel 32; at the other end of the stem 30 there is mounted the anvil 9. The stem 30 is urged against the eccentric 31 by a spring 33 stretching between a pivot 34 rigid with a forming part of the anvil 9 and a pivot 35 rigid with forming part of the plate 26.

To the plate 28 there is secured a crossbar 36 in which there can slide a stem 37 rigid with forming fork 38. To the latter there is hinged by means of a pivot 39 the hammer 8, which, by means of a rear extension 40 with adjustable screw 40', rests on a small block 41 supported by and sliding on a piece 59 rigid with the machine frame.

The rear extension 40 of the hammer is kept in contact with the small block 41 by the action of a spring 42, pressed between the fixed piece 59 and the body of the hammer. The fork 38 is kept against the crossbar 36 by a spring 43 pressed between the said crossbar 36 and a ring 37' rigid with the stem 37. The lowering of the plate 28 thus causes the lowering of the hammer 8 as a result of the vertical movement of the fork 38 and of the rotation of the said hammer about the pivot 39, said rotation being caused by its rear extension 40 resting on the block 41.

The eccentrics 29 and 31 which respectively drive the hammer 8 and the anvil 9 are so angularly displaced that the hammer 8 and the anvil 9 move toward and away from each other simultaneously. The extension 40 of the hammer is so adjusted that when in most proximate position the anvil 9 and the hammer 8 touch each other. The thickness of the element to be bordered, being interposed between anvil and hammer, thus, n the closing of these, causes arrest of the hammer in a higher position while the plate 28 continues its descent driven by the eccentric 29 which presses the spring 43. A clockwise rotation of the shaft 1 as seen in FIG. causes a horizontal rightwards movement of anvil 9 and hammer 8 in open position, and a leftwards movement of anvil and hammer when in closed position. The extent of the horizontal movement that the anvil and hammer perform when in closed position depends on the adjustment on the rear extension 40 of the hammer.

The movement of the arms 7 and 7' of the fork, which is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, is provided by an eccentric 44 borne by the shaft 1 around which is mounted a collar 45. Rigid with this collar is an arm 46 the free end of which is fork-shaped and rotationally bears a small cylinder 47 with a hole through which can pass the cylindrical end 48' of a lever 48, hinged by means of a pivot 49 to the machine frame. The lever 48 acts upon a bell crank lever 50 hinged by means of a pivot 51 to the machine frame. The lever 50 acts on the arms 7 and 7' of the fork by means of adjustable screws 52 in direction such as to make them counteract springs 53 provided in respective sheaths 54 and 54' hinged by means of pivots 55 and 55' to the machine frame. Also rigid with the collar 45 is an arm 56 which is guided by one of its pivots 57 sliding in a slot 58 provided in a piece 59 rigid with the machine frame. The engagement of the said pivot 57 in the slot prevents the rotation of the collar 45. The reciprocating movement of the arm 56 imparted by the rotation of the eccentric 44 in the collar 45 is transmitted to a pivot 60 rigid with a body 61 hinged to the frame by means of a pivot 62; the said body 61, by rotating, acts through rollers 63 and 63' on the arms 7 and 7 of the fork and moves them apart from each other against the reaction of a spring 64 stretching between the sheaths 54 and 54', with a force adjustable so as to prove suitable for the tape to be folded.

The body of the tape-guide 4 advantageously includes a knurled roller 65, by manual rotation of which it is possible to cause the feeding of the tape 66 into the guide slot, and a knife 67 hinged on a pivot 68 and capable of being pushed against its counterblade 69 t cut the tape 66 through means not represented and acting on a protuberance 70 of the said knife 67.

The operation of the above described machine takes place substantially in the following manner. A tape 66 of flexible material, for example leather, is introduced into the guide slot of the tape-guide 4, in which it is made to progress by the action of the roller 65. The element to be bordered for example a sole 71, is then introduced between the feet 5 and 6 of the clamping member, so becoming placed substantially near the center line of the tape.

A suitable device applies adhesive to that face of the tape 66 which is made to contact the sole 71. Such device can consist of an element kept impregnated and in contact with the tape, or, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8, by a small tube 74 having a closed end with small'lateral holes for the outlet of the adhesive along a generatrix which is kept tangentially in contact with the tape. Other similar devices can be adapted, and the position most suitable for them is immediately after the body of the tape-guide 4 and before the arms 77 of the fork. The expulsion of the adhesive is conveniently caused by a pump or equivalent member (not represented) sensitive to the progress rate of the tape which remains in such manner uniformly spread with adhesive. This can for example be brought about by means of a pump operated in synchronism with the shaft 1.

Instead of spreading the adhesive directly onto the tape before the latter is folded around the edge of the element to be bordered, it may be advisable to spread the adhesive on the surfaces of the edge of the said element to be bordered and then fold the tape onto it. This variant is illustrated in the FIGS. 9 and 10 of the drawings.

FIG. 9 again shows the principal operating members of the machine, such as: the body of the tape-guide 4. the clamping member comprising the upper foot 5 and the lower foot 6, the pressing fork consisting of the two arms 7 and 7, the moving hammer 8 and the anvil 9, also moving.

A hole bored through the upper foot 5 contains the terminal rigid length 72 of an adhesive feeding tube 72.

In proximity of the lower foot 6 of the clamping member of the sole 71 there is secured to the machine frame a second adhesive feeding tube 73, which ends in a terminal rigid length 73. In FIG. 10, for the purposes of clarity, there are represented only the feet 5 and 6 and the arms 77' of the fork with the tubes 72 and 73; there is also indicated the tape 66 folded by the fork. As is shown in FIG. 10, the outlet of the terminal-lengths 72 and 73' of the tubes 72 and 73 is so arranged as to lightly brush the sole 71, thus spreading the adhesive emerging from it on the two sides of the edge of the said sole.

Immediately after having been spread with adhesive, the sole is covered by the tape by the action of the arms 7-7 of the fork. In this case, too, the expulsion of the adhesive from the tubes 72 and 73 is preferably proportional to the rate of progress of the sole and tape in the bodering machine, so that there is sufficient adhesive for a good setting between tape and sole, but not in excess so as to escape from their joining-surfaces when these are pressed together. An elfect to the desirable kind in question can for example be obtained by an adhesive feed pump operated in synchronism with the members that move the sole forward.

When the adhesive is to be maintained at a comparatively high temperature, the tubes 72 and 73 may incorporate a Wire through which an electric current is caused to pass.

The rotation of the shaft 1 causes a succession of opening and closing strokes of the feet 5 and 6 of the clamping member, a forward motion of the fork toward the tape 66 with a simultaneous closing stroke of its arms 7-7 and a successive withdrawal of the fork with an opening stroke of the said arms, a succession of closing and opening strokes of anvil 9 and hammer 8 which move also horizontally, as earlier described, causing the sole and the tape to progress after the latter has been glued to the edge of the sole.

Such movements are synchronized, with appropriate respective position of the eccentrics that drive them, in such a Way that the feet 5 and 6 of the clamping member and the arms 7-7' of the fork engage simultaneously on the sole and tape when the hammer 8 and the anvil 9 are in open position and in movement contrary to that of the progress movement of the sole and tape.

When the hammer 8 and the anvil 9 lock onto the tape folded to border the sole and start the horizontal movement in the feed direction, the lower foot 6 lowers and the arms 7-7' of the fork open, withdrawing in such a way as to allow the progress of the tape without stretching.

On conclusion of the bordering operation, by the action of a lever or a pedal, the tape 66 is cut by operating knife 67. The bordered sole 71 is then easily removed with the raising of the arm 5' bearing the foot 5.

We claim:

1. A bordering machine for applying a tape of flexible material onto an edge of slab or sheet shaped elements, particularly on the edge of soles of footwear items, said machine comprising: a tape-guide, a fork including spaced pivotal arms, means for moving the fork with a longitudinal reciprocating motion while its arms are moved transversely towards and away from each other in synchronism with the said reciprocating motion, to fold said tape above and below the element to be bordered which is placed near the centerline of the tape in a plane perpendicular to the latter, a first member which intermittently presses the tape folded by said fork around the edge of said element and moves to cause a forward movement of the tape and of said element, a second member which intermittently clamps said element when the latter is not engaged by said first member, and means for introducing adhesive material between the tape and the surfaces of the edge of said element to be bordered before the tape is pressed against said element.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving the fork and the arms thereof comprises an eccentric, a sleeve mounted on said eccentric, a first lev erage coupled to said sleeve and engaging the fork to drive the same in one direction of movement of the sleeve and a second leverage coupled to the sleeve and to said arms to open and close the latter by the movement of the sleeve in a direction perpendicular to the first said direction.

3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said first member comprises two elements, both movable and each driven by an eccentric, the said two elements facing each other and moving toward and away from each other, one of said members being driven to move by its respective eccentric with the interposition of an elastic member, in such manner that said elements, when closing, press with substantially constant force the said folded tape so that it is folded onto said element.

4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said second member comprises a first element supported elastically and a second element moved against the first element by an eccentric.

5. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said tapeguide includes a blade movable in a direction perpendicular to the tape to cut said tape on completion of the bordering operation.

6. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for introducing an adhesive material between the tape and the edge of the element to be bordered comprises a member adapted for spreading adhesive on the side of the tape before the said fork acts on the tape and folds the same.

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein the adhesive spreading member comprises a closed tube tangential to the tape and having along the line of tangency a succession of holes through which the adhesive is expelled.

8. A machine according to claim 7, wherein said holes are connected by a grooving in the outer surface of said tube.

9. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for introducing an adhesive material between the tape and the edge of the element to be bordered comprises means for spreading adhesive material on the zone of the edge of the element to be bordere'd on which said tape is to be glued.

10. A machine according to claim 9, wherein said means for spreading adhesive material on the edge of the element to be bordered comprises two small tubes with outlets substantially in proximity of the said edge, one on its upper side and the other on its lower side.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,701,003 2/1955 Kamborian 156479 2,720,667 10/ 1955 Naugler 12--55.1 3,016,552 l/1962 Zatloukal 1255 3,040,347 6/1962 Paulsen 1224.5 3,261,045 7/1966 Vachon 1224.5

HAROLD ANSHER, Primary Examiner R. A. KILLWORTH, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

